Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform that enables teams to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate work in one place. With Teams, you can create a dedicated digital workspace for your team to share conversations, files, meetings, and more.
Creating a new team in Microsoft Teams is easy and only takes a few steps. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create a team from scratch in Teams:
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
Before creating a new team, ensure that:
- You have admin permissions to create teams in your Microsoft 365 or Office 365 organization
- The Microsoft Teams app is installed on your device or you have access to the web version
Create a New Team
Follow these steps to create a brand new team in Microsoft Teams:
Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams
Launch the Microsoft Teams desktop app or web version and sign in with your work credentials if required.
Step 2: Click on “Join or create a team”
In the Teams sidebar, click on the “Join or create a team” option. This will open up the team creation dialog box.
Join or create a team in Microsoft Teams
Step 3: Select “Create team”
In the team creation dialog, select the “Create team” button to create a brand new team from scratch.
Create a new team in Microsoft Teams
Step 4: Give the team a name and description
In the “Name your team” section, enter a name and optional description for your new team. The name should be concise but descriptive.
Name your new team in Microsoft Teams
Step 5: Set team privacy
Choose whether you want the team to be public or private. Private means team access is limited to only members you explicitly add. Public allows anyone in your organization to join.
Step 6: Add members
You can now invite people to join your team. Start typing their names or email addresses and select the ones you want to add.
Add members to your new Microsoft Teams team
Step 7: Create channels
Channels organize topics and conversations within a team. Click on “Add a channel” to create channels for focused discussions.
Add channels in your new Microsoft Teams team
And that’s it! Your new Microsoft Teams team is now ready to start collaborating. Add tabs, apps, files and co-author documents to maximize productivity.
Best Practices for Creating Teams
Here are some best practices to follow when creating new teams in Microsoft Teams:
Keep Team Names Meaningful
Team names should clearly represent what the team is about. This helps members identify which teams are relevant to their work.
Limit Team Size
Large teams with too many members can get chaotic. Ideally, keep team sizes under 25 members. For larger groups, create separate teams and connect them with a common channel.
Organize Teams Thoughtfully
Structure teams, channels and tabs in a logical way that aligns with how your organization works. Standardize naming schemes for easy discovery of information.
Configure Notifications
Customize notifications per member preference so that important updates are received without spamming team members.
Promote Adoption
Introduce the purpose of new teams and encourage members to participate actively for maximum collaboration.
Review Usage
Audit teams, channels and membership regularly. Archive unused teams and channels to prevent clutter.
By following Microsoft Teams best practices, you can boost team productivity, streamline workflows, and facilitate seamless collaboration across your organization.
